I'm going to have the opportunity to spend some time in Colorado in early May this year. I want to walk/scramble/climb some mountains while I'm there, since I don't get many chances for alpine adventures.

I'm thinking of starting with Mt. Evans, since I've been up and down before, but I know that May is before the season starts. Does anyone have experience with Evans, Bierstadt, or the sawtooth at that time of year? What can I expect?

Also, what else should I do? I'm going to have a guy who's never climbed with me (a fellow grad student just confessed a desire to do Denali sometime in the future, and I figured I'd drag him up some things in Co. first), so nothing beyond about 5.8 or 5.9 will be appropriate. I'd like to stick with slab-vertical trad climbing. I'm thinking of a couple of climbs on the Flatirons, but that's about the only area I know that fits the current bill.

What I'm actually asking here is this: If you had between May 2 and May 20th knock around Colorado, do some peaks, and climb some climbs, what would you do?

I'd be interested in meeting up with Colorado RC.commers as well. Tradpuppy, crimpergirl, and clausti can attest to the fact that I'm not a serial killer.

May is a really good time to climb high peaks in Colorado. An ice ax and crampons can be useful, as can a pair of skis if you are so inclined. I'll most likely be climbing peaks every weekend in May to get ready for a big trip in June, and you are welcome to join me.

If you've already done Evans, there is little point in repeating it with so many options out there. There will probably still be well consolidated snow on most routes aside from wind blown ridges, but unless a really unusual storm hits no real avalanche danger anymore. Pretty much pick whatever you want, with the understanding that technical rock routes will still have snow and ice on them.

Be sure to check MountainProject.com for info about closings on the Flatirons. The 3rd is closed now through July for raptor nesting. But the 1st is open, though many of the routes there have lots of run-out (perhaps not the best thing to do with someone you are "dragging").

May is a really good time to climb high peaks in Colorado. An ice ax and crampons can be useful, as can a pair of skis if you are so inclined. I'll most likely be climbing peaks every weekend in May to get ready for a big trip in June, and you are welcome to join me.

If you've already done Evans, there is little point in repeating it with so many options out there. There will probably still be well consolidated snow on most routes aside from wind blown ridges, but unless a really unusual storm hits no real avalanche danger anymore. Pretty much pick whatever you want, with the understanding that technical rock routes will still have snow and ice on them.

I've never climbed on snow or ice before, so maybe I'll stick to walk-up type peaks for the moment. I'm poking around ebay for crampons - I'm moving to California, so it'll be good to have a set past this trip.

Thanks for the offer to join - if you don't mind hanging out with snow gumbies, it'd be great to come along, and I solemnly swear to do my absolute best not to kill us.

i was just up longs a few weeks ago, it was pretty easy going for the most part, all i took was an axe, but snow shoes might be a good idea, we only went as far as BF, and it was still pretty snow covered for most of the way,